Category Archives: Career Tips

2014 Forecast for Boston Jobs

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By Frank Gentile

2014 looks to be a good year for job growth; it might even be the best that Boston has seen since before the recession.  All of the surveys – including those of employers, hiring managers and job seekers – are pointing up, and most companies will tell you they have plans to hire in the New Year.

This means we’ll likely see a shift toward an employee-driven job market (away from an employer-driven market) in which candidates may receive multiple job offers and employers have a more difficult time with retention and with finding candidates who qualified for their open positions.

Beginning in 2014, here are some trends I forecast we’ll start seeing:

Companies will get creative in their efforts to attract employees – With a tighter labor pool to select from, we’ll start to see companies get more aggressive in attracting candidates. The last time this happened, with the tech sector in the late 90’s, we saw employers highlight workplace perks like foosball tables and bring-your-pet-to-work policies. Similarly, I believe we’ll see an increase in sign-on bonuses and perhaps stock plan offers to attract highly-skilled workers.

Health insurance benefits will feature more prominently in job offers – The Affordable Care Act has changed the healthcare options for numerous workers and helped emphasize healthcare plans overall. For employers with premium benefits, expect to start seeing job offers that specifically highlight healthcare benefits.

Baby Boomers will finally retire – The first Baby Boomers turned 62 in 2008, making them eligible to claim retirement benefits. However, the U.S. economy took a nosedive that same year and prompted many Boomers to stay in the workplace. Now that they’re eligible for full retirement benefits and the economy has stabilized and is starting to improve, we’ll see a lot more workers from this generation begin to retire. This will open up jobs at the managerial level and, as companies train younger workers for these roles, it will create opportunities at lower levels too. Employers will need to add employees to fill the subsequent gaps in the workplace.

Employers will enhance workforce diversity plans – There are many reasons to hire diverse workers, and now one of the most pressing is the need to find and retain quality employees. Faced with a shortage of qualified job applicants, employers will need to tap into new pools of skilled candidates. Organizations that have effective plans for attracting a diverse workforce will be at a competitive advantage. Recruiters will target passive candidates –In 2014 recruiters will have no choice but to look for passive candidates, i.e. candidates who aren’t actively seeking a new job. This means using social networks like LinkedIn and industry associations and organizations to search for and communicate with prospects.

Informational interviews will increase – Companies are starting to spend more time with informational interview candidates and on exploratory meetings, in order to develop a network and candidate pool. Some firms will hire top workers even if they don’t have a specific position available for that worker.

frank-gentile-2Frank Gentile is a 20+ year veteran of the staffing industry and an experienced recruiter. As a Director at Professional Staffing Group (PSG) Frank oversees the permanent placement division.  

Tips for Interviewing for a Temporary Job

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BostonHerald.com recently published this article on how to interview for a temporary job. Naturally, we agree with the writer that temporary positions can be terrific career opportunities and that it’s important to prepare properly for them.

For more advice on how to ace an interview, see our previous posts on preparing for an interview; researching a company before an interview; questions to ask during an interview; appropriate office attire for interviews, following up after an interview; and protocol for thank you notes.

Ask A Recruiter: Deciding Between Multiple Job Offers

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Q: After interviewing for a long time, I’m about to have more than one job offer to consider. Do you have any advice on how to make the right decision?

A:  Congratulations on receiving multiple job offers!

When it’s time to make a tough choice, I recommend creating pros and cons lists. I always tell candidates to make a list of the top three things they are looking for in a new job and it’s not too late for you to do this, too. Having a written reminder of what you’re looking for will make it easier to decide if a job offer is right for you.

For example, I recently worked with an HR professional who had told me that advancing her career was a top priority. We found an opportunity for her that would meet this goal– the new job opportunity offered more responsibilities and room for growth – but it also would mean a longer commute. The commute was a serious consideration for this candidate, since she has a young child at home, but she had prioritized her desires, and after careful consideration, she decided that pursuing career advancement was the most important objective for her at this time.

As you think about your priorities, here are some categories to consider:

Long-term career objective – It can be tough to take yourself out of the ‘here and now’ and imagine how a brand new job will develop over the long term. However, it’s important to consider how the role aligns with your long-term career objectives or how it can help your career in the long term. For instance, if you are a software engineer considering different types of work – perhaps one that involves a heavy amount of coding and one that is focused more on project management – if you are qualified for both positions, you might be tempted to take the one that pays more. But it’s important to consider what skills you’d develop in the different roles and how your responsibilities could develop over time in each position, as well as how much growth you’ll have in the position.

Your everyday role – Think about what you’ll be doing on a daily basis, including your role at the company, responsibilities and with whom you’ll be reporting to and working with.

Type of Employer – There’s a big difference between doing the same job at a startup and at a global corporation. Some people thrive on the culture at a small business where they can be exposed to a little bit of everything and other people prefer working in a more structured environment with access to larger networks. The type of company you work at will impact your professional development opportunities, the types of mentors you will find, your training and how many peers you’ll find in a similar role. Many times your career reputation is linked with your company’s reputation, too.

Location – For some people a short commute is a critical factor when considering new jobs. If it’s important to you, consider overall commute time, public transportation options, nearby amenities, parking and any other commuting factors.

Compensation – I don’t like to see candidates place salary at the top of their priority list, but it’s obviously an important consideration. Consider benefits and perks as well as salary when weighing an offer.

Everyone feels differently about these categories and feelings can change over the years. It’s important to consider what matters most to you when weighing your work options.

Jess-Salerno-photo1About the Recruiter
Jessica Salerno Incerto has 10+ years of experience in the staffing and recruiting industry. As a director and member of the management team at Professional Staffing Group (PSG), she oversees career placement, client consultation and management and training. Jessica is also a member of NEHRA’s Diversity Committee. 

Ask A Recruiter: Appropriate Office Attire for Interviews

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Q: I’m new to the workforce (just graduated college) and not sure how to dress for interviews. What do you recommend?

A: First, congratulations on your graduation and on knowing that first impressions and appearances are important in a job search.

Sometimes new graduates don’t realize that they should invest in an interview suit or plan to have access to one. There are recruiters who will tell you never to put a mission statement on your resume and those that will tell you it’s an essential part of the resume. Similarly, there are interview experts who will tell you it’s important to match your outfit to the office style, i.e. wear business casual if that’s what current staff wear. However, I feel it’s important to always look as professional as possible even if you’re dressed more formally than the office norm when you interview. Even if the office where the interview will take place is laid back in style, I recommend wearing a suit. Playing it safe with your interview attire eliminates the chance that you’ll offend the interviewer.

For men, this means wearing a fresh button-downed shirt and a plain, conservative tie. For women, it’s important to wear stockings when wearing skirts and closed toe, heeled shoes.

Some other tips:

  • No matter what you wear on your commute, change into proper shoes before you enter the building and have a bag to store your commuting shoes.
  • Keep jewelry to a minimum and eliminate noisy bracelets, big earrings, eye-catching jewels.
  • Make sure makeup is conservatively applied.
  • Reduce odors by keeping cologne and perfume to a minimum and not smoking right before the interview.
  • Consider removing facial piercings for the interview.
  • Tie long hair back.
  • Have a portfolio or nice notebook to take notes in.
  • Invest in resume paper and have smooth, clean extra copies of your resume available.
  • Keep your phone out of site and be sure to turn it off completely so that vibrations or other notifications don’t distract from your interview.
  • Don’t bring your own coffee to the meeting. Feel free to accept coffee or water if it’s offered to you, but finish the drink in your Dunkin’ Donuts takeout cup before the interview.
  • Make sure anything that you wouldn’t wear while working in the office – such as sunglasses and hats – are stored appropriately out of sight during the meeting.

About the Recruiter
Katy-LeVeque-photoKaty Leveque is a Senior Group Manager at PSG.  Katy learned the recruiting business from the ground up.  She joined PSG shortly after graduating college over five years ago and today Katy oversees the service teams that support some of PSG’s most valued clients.

 

Temp jobs can help your career over the long-term

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PSG President Aaron Green talked to CareerBuilder.com about how temporary jobs can influence your career over the long-term.

See his comments and read more about the benefits of temping to find permanent employment, as well as tips for working with temporary agencies in this blog post.

 

Ask A Recruiter: Positioning Yourself for Management Roles

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Q: I’d like to move into a management role. How can I position myself and convince my boss or a new employer I’m ready?

A: It’s a bit of a Catch-22 that employers prefer to hire people with management experience for management roles, making it tough to break into that level of employment. When candidates with non-management experience move into these roles, it’s typically after working in the same company for awhile, i.e. employers also like to cultivate managers from within their organization.

However, it’s not impossible to move into a new management position. To do so, I recommend:

Demonstrate mastery of your current role. If you haven’t been in your current position long enough, it may be too soon to be considered for management. Go the extra mile to get recognized and demonstrate consistency over time. This will earn you the right to ask for the next step, or it will prompt your employer to come to you.

Let people know of your interest. If you’ve been there a long time, have you expressed interest? Find out what you need to do to qualify.

Make sure you’re in line with, and that you support and reflect, the corporate culture. Reinforcing corporate culture is part of the management role so employers look for management candidates who are good examples of their company values.

Act like a leader. Demonstrate that you’re capable of managing others and look for leadership opportunities, e.g. managing projects, leading presentations and people. Ask for new responsibilities and show initiative.

Split your role. If you have an in-demand skill set, it may be possible to create a player/coach situation where you continue to perform your work, but take on manager responsibilities and oversee or assist other group members.

About the Recruiter
frank-gentile-2Frank Gentile is a 20+ year veteran of the staffing industry and an experienced recruiter. As a Director at Professional Staffing Group (PSG) Frank oversees the permanent placement division. 

Ask A Recruiter: Resume Tips for New College Graduates

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Q: I’m graduating college this year and still working on my resume. Do you have any tips?

A: Congratulations on your graduation and welcome to the workforce!

We often help recent college graduates with their resumes. One of the most common mistakes new job seekers make is not providing detail on the jobs they held during school. For instance, a candidate who worked as a receptionist in the Dean’s office might list their duties as “answering phones,” overlooking and failing to mention other valuable office experience like: planning meetings, greeting important people and organizing events.

I recommend thinking about all the work experience you have from college – including part-time or unpaid jobs, internships, work study and extracurricular activities – and the responsibilities you were given in those roles. Then think about the special achievements you accomplished during each experience. Use bullet points to call out each item.

However, don’t succumb to the other common mistake new job seekers make of writing about every detail you can think of. Keep it relevant to the job you’re seeking or the kind of work you want to do. For example, if you worked as a lifeguard during school, it would be appropriate to include the details of that experience if you’re looking for new lifeguarding jobs. If you’re pursuing office work, you should think about the aspects of your lifeguarding experience that are relevant to office employers, such as record-keeping, managing schedules, etc.

Rather than providing detailed information about special events, trips or assignments, just list them and save the big story for the interview. If the employer is interested in your trip to China during your internship, they’ll ask you about it. Conversely, if they’re not interested, it doesn’t benefit you to include all the details on your resume.

Finally, I can’t stress enough how important it is to proof-read your resume. Print it out so that you can see what it looks like from the eyes of the recipient. Is it formatted correctly and is there enough ‘white space’? Employers aren’t likely to read every bullet, so you want to make sure your important information stands out. Ask a friend, family member or professor to proof-read it, too. They may catch a mistake that you’ve overlooked.

About the Recruiter
Katy-LeVeque-photoKaty Leveque is a Senior Group Manager at PSG.  Katy learned the recruiting business from the ground up. She joined PSG shortly after graduating college over five years ago and today Katy oversees the service teams that support some of PSG’s most valued clients.

Ask A Recruiter: Human Resources Jobs

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Q: Can you share advice for starting a career in Human Resources?

A: The good news for the human resources jobs market is that demand for HR workers is up and jobs that had been cut during the Recession are coming back.

Human Resources professionals contribute to business viability and success through the strategic management of human capital. Jobs in this field range from HR generalists to specialists in areas such as workforce planning and development, HR development, total rewards, employee and labor relations and risk management.

In the Human Resources industry, there are a few criteria that all employers look for:

Education – There are Human Resources professionals with a wide variety of educational backgrounds. However, many HR positions require candidates with a minimum of a four-year degree. Candidates with Bachelor’s degrees and a major in business, marketing and communications can be well-positioned for careers in Human Resources, especially if they’ve taken courses that cover topics such as management, recruitment, training and compensation. Internships during college or participating in co-op programs are a great way to break into the HR field, too. A master’s degree can be helpful, particularly one that specializes in a specific area of Human Resources or in a field that can be related to HR, e.g. an advanced degree in communications, marketing, sociology or education.

Relevant experience – It’s a bit of a Catch-22 and it can make it difficult to break into the Human Resources sector, but employers prefer to hire HR staff with previous experience. If you’re trying to transition into an HR role, or switch from one type of HR position to another, consider these tips:

  • Take on additional tasks in your current job that take you in the HR direction, e.g. take on payroll duties
  • Talk to your boss or your recruiter and let them know you are interested in an HR role and ask what you need to do to be prepared when an HR opening occurs. If they don’t know, they can’t help you grow your career in HR.
  • Investigate opportunities to work part-time in an HR role and part-time in another role until you gain experience
  • Take a good look at your resume, or ask a professional for advice on making your previous experience applicable to HR roles. For instance, a background in accounting can be desirable for certain HR functions if you can show a way to bridge that experience.
  • Consider taking time out for an HR internship
  • Consider getting an HR or business graduate degree
  • Network with people who work in HR and join online networks of HR communities.

Above-average communications skills – Good communication skills are necessary for all types of Human Resources roles. Since HR professionals handle confidential information, and must be comfortable interacting with employees at all levels, companies often seek people who are mature and experienced professionals—especially for higher-level positions in HR.

Strong track record – Employers look for candidates who can show a successful career track record, which includes demonstrating longevity or loyalty to past positions and employers, as well as good career progression with regular promotions and growth in responsibilities over time.

About the Recruiter
Jess-Salerno-photo1Jessica Salerno Incerto has 10+ years of experience in the staffing and recruiting industry. As a director and member of the management team at Professional Staffing Group (PSG), she oversees career placement, client consultation and management and training. Jessica is also a member of NEHRA’s Diversity Committee.

Where the Jobs Are – and How to Find a New Job in Healthcare, Finance, Customer Service and Tech

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PSG President Aaron Green spoke to the Boston Globe for its annual “Where the Jobs Are” special magazine feature. Aaron was one of several local jobs experts offering advice on where to look and how to land a new job. Read the article here.